Theodore a



la sulla met THEODORE GA MAGE, OF vBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Letters .Patient No. 84,874, lated December l5, 1868.

IMPROVE!) MIENSTRUAL RECEIVER l The Schedule referred to in these -Letters- Patent and making part of the same.

To all to wh'om these presents shall come Be it known that I, THEoDoRnA. GAMAGE, of -Boston, in the county of Sutlolk, and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Menstrual Receivers; and do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part. of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Figure 2, a top view, and Figure 3 a bottom', of its duid-absorbing pad. Figure 4, a perspective view, and Figure. 5, a section of a modification of my invention. This invention consists in the employment of a pad of sponge, partially encased in aWater-proof'or impervious cup, and supported upon a persons body bya peculiar arrangement of a belt and suspension-straps, in manner as vhereinafter explained.

In the drawings above mentioned as illustrating my invention, the iuid-absorbing-pad of the device is shown at a, it being composed of sponge or other absorbent material, compressed into an elliptical form', and so as to create in its centre a depression, in order not to bear too closely upon certain parts of the person.

This pad is' partially encased, or rests within a bag or cup, l1, of light, flexible, impervious material, prefrably of oiled silkhand -secured therein, and so as to leave its upper surface free to absorb whatever uid it may come in Contact with.

The depression or enclosure formed within the -body of the pad a. is shown at c, and at the bottom of this enclosure, and resting upon the sponge, is a metallic plate, d, while ,upon the lower and outer surface ofthe sponge is a similar plate, e, the two plates bein'g securely liveted together, as shown in the drawings.

The lower plate, e, is provided, atits rear end, with two rings or eyes, fj, while its front end is provided with one eye, g.

To each of these eyes the lower ends of three elastic straps, h' h h', are ho Jked, as shown at fl, 85o., the upper ends of the straps h 71 being buckled to the rear part of a belt or girdle, j, which encircles the waist of the wearer, while the upper end of the forward strap,

7a.', is buckled to a 'slide or plate, k, which, when the` device is in use, is situated in the front ofthe body of the wearer.

This plate, as shown in thel drawings, is formed with a slot, l l, at each end, the A'extremities of the belt j,

before mentioned, being' run through these slots, and

lapped upon its main portion, and connectedthereto by buckles m m.

The object of remploying this plate, and combining it with the belt, as represented, is to allow ofthe shortening or taking iu of such belt, Without forcing the apparatus to oneside of the centre of a persons body, which would be the case were the ends ofthe belt simply confined by a buckle.

The mode of application of theabove-described device will readily manifest itself to females Who may have need of it.

r Its advantages are-l First, that its absorbing-pad cannot be displaced, no ,matter what position the wearer may assume, whether down.

Second, the sponge-orpad is so protected by the cup, made from a material impervious to moisture, that in compressing it, by sitting or otherwise, the fluid is caught by the cup, and, upon distension ofthe sponge, the fluid'is absorbed by it; therefore aleakage from it, to stam the person or clothing, is impossible.- Third, the pad Amay be easily removed by means of the hooks attached to the straps h h h', and a clean and dry one substituted, Without disrobi'ng, or inconvenience in removing any article'of wearingfapparel.

The'nature of the oiled silk renders the pad soft, flexible, and agreeable to the teuch, and the perfect neatness and cleanlinessof the whole device will thoroughly recom-mend itself to every one. To wash the pad, it is to be merelyimmersed inwater, andthe sponge compressed and distended several times. For the purpose of relief in case of falling of the womb, I construct the padv as shown in figs. 4 and 5 of the'drawings; that is, I apply to the centre of the sponge of the pad a stuffed raised cushion, a', which, by bearing against and supporting the-proper parts, .becomes a very valuable and agreeable acquisition. I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States, as a new article .of manufacture v 'The `improved menstrual receiver or guard, before described, consisting of the imperviousbag-or cup b,

nected tothe belt j by pendent straps. h h h, in 'Inanner and for the purpose as before described.

Also, the combination and arrangement of the front strap h', the belt j, the slotted plate lo, and buckles fm m, as and for the purposes herein specified. A

l THEODORE A. GAMAGE.

Witnesses:

FRED. CURTIS, GEO. A. Lonnie.

walking, standing, bending in any direction, or lying to contain sponge or other absorbent material, and con- 

